Washington D.C. has been called “America’s most recession-proof city.” Property values have remained stable and even risen while other areas of the country have suffered.
But try telling that to the tens out thousands of local residents who are out of work and need the help of a program like the Lifeline phone service which provides free cell phones to disadvantaged Americans. A recent report said that nearly one out of five District of Columbia residents live at or below the official poverty level. And the city has the nation’s highest rate of children living in poverty.
Increased government spending has helped keep unemployment low and property values high, but even the most optimistic observer now worries that inflation will cause economic hardships that the nation’s capital has never seen before.
Lifeline and ACP free government cell phone service providers in District of Columbia
Here’s a list of all the Lifeline Assistance free government cell phones in Washington DC. They all offer different plans with different numbers of minutes, different refill options, and serve different geographic areas. So click through them all and find the plan that’s best for you.
Lifeline Discount Companies in Washington, D.C.
If you qualify for Lifeline Assistance, but you find that none of the companies offer free government cell phones where you live, you have another option. The companies below, while not offering free cell phone plans, do offer substantial Lifeline discounts off their regular mobile phone plans in the District of Columbia:
How to qualify for a Lifeline free government cell phone in the District of Columbia
You are eligible if you receive benefits from any of these programs in Washington, DC:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps or SNAP)
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8)
- Veterans Pension and Survivor's Benefit.
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance (BIA)
- Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
- Tribal Head Start (only those households meeting its income qualifying standard)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
You may also qualify if your Total Household Income is at or under 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. See chart below where we’ve done the math for you:
| Income Based Eligibility for Washington D.C. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Members in Household | Annual income | |
| 1 member | $18,347 | |
| 2 members | $24,719 | |
| 3 members | $31,091 | |
| 4 members | $37,463 | |
| 5 members | $43,835 | |
| 6 members | $50,207 | |
| 7 members | $56,579 | |
| 8 members | $62,951 | |
| For each additional member add $6,372 annually | ||
How to qualify for an ACP free government phone and unlimited service in the District of Columbia
It’s even easier to qualify for ACP service than it is to qualify for Lifeline service. The USAC website spells it all out:
Consumers qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) through participation in Lifeline or a Lifeline-qualifying program, having an income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, through participation in ACP-qualifying programs, such as the free and reduced-price school lunch or breakfast program (including the Community Eligibility Provision), WIC, through award of a federal Pell Grant, or through participation in a participating service provider’s existing low-income program.
What are you waiting for? Choose your favorite service provider and favorite plan and the future is, well, almost unlimited.
Latest Free Government Cell Phone News for Washington D.C.:
If you have any other questions, please refer to the links in the sidebar.
Jeffrey Ogutu says
Where can I pick up a phone. I am in the DC Metro area.
Last place I found was by the Columbia Heights Giant Food store but nobody was there today Saturday 4/23
Please advise
Free Government Cell Phones says
We urge our readers not to enroll at street events. They have been the scenes of far too much fraud and abuse. Please enroll by phone or online.
Micah Powell says
How can report the street vendors and get them out the area?
Free Government Cell Phones says
Sounds like a local police issue, Micah. We would assume that they need permits to do business on the street. Call your local police department.
Charles Wilson says
The following person is in very need of a cell phone as is Charles Wilson, (Address deleted), Washington D C 20018 AS HE HAS NO LEGGS AND IS IN A WHEELCHAIR apt# 215.
Free Government Cell Phones says
This is an independent informational website, Charles, but we are NOT affiliated with any of the free government cell phone companies. Your friend will need to contact them directly.
rhonda says
Are there any of these programs available for a landline? I have a client who cannot keep a cell phone since she loses it or gives it away due to her mental illness. she is well below the poverty level and cannot afford to pay for a phone however she needs a phone in case there is an emergency or the mental health provider needs to contact her.
Free Government Cell Phones says
Lifeline is available for landline phones, Rhonda, but the deal isn’t nearly as good. Basically, you pay your regular phone bill minus the $9.25 per month subsidy.
Robin scallan says
I dont want my phone no more please cut it off. I dont have it no more robin scallan my address is 115 **** morgan city louisiana. 70380
Free Government Cell Phones says
You have several choices, Robin.
1. Contact your service provider by phone or online to cancel.
2. Do not use your phone for 60 days. It will be automatically cancelled.
3. Do not recertify when your one year has expired.
Judy Jenkins says
WHERE CAN PICK UP MY SMARTPHONE DEVICE
Melanie Rodriguez says
I need to know if, when & where there is a physical “sign up” site for these phones- locally- so that I may leave with it in my hand upon application completion..
i mailed out my ASSURANCE WIRELESS application over 2 weeks ago and haven’t received any phone yet in the mail, nor any response to my email contacts to CONFIRM IF/WHEN IT WAS MAILED.
Alice Cummings says
Customer Service is rather Customer Deference.
I have not been able to place an outgoing call for 2 months and can not get a replacement phone.
I have not been able to reliably place an outgoing call for 2 months, due to a key-pad malfunction
As of today, I can not place any outgoing calls. I recertified on September 26, 2014 altlhough the last reliable call I could dial was in July.
I have talked with Assurance Wireless Customer Service many tines and I an always promised a replacement phone, which never arrives. Each time I call back to inquire as to “why?” I am given difference reasons, which, afer being resolved, I am promised a new, replacement phone.
I am an Assurance Wireless customer and I can not reliably use the key pad on my Assurance Wireless phone to place an outgoing call. In July the key pad on my phone did not always register the appropriate number dialed, but if I retried, the approriate numbers would registed and I could place a call.
Then rather than the number dialed, 3 or 4 different digits for each number would register, none of these numbers being accurante. Sometimes, if I plugged the phone in the the charger, the numbers would sometines register accurately. But, for the most part, if I did not have a number in my Contacts List, I could not place an outgoing call.
I telephoned Assurance Wireless Customer Service at 888-321-5880. I explained the problem and that I had removed and replaced the battery numerous times, which is what the outgoing recording says to do to correct problems. This action did not restore the use of my phone.
The only way I could contact the above number is that it was recorded in my Contacts List.
I was told that I would receive a new telephone in 3 – 5 business days.
The phone did not arrive. I called again, several times, being told a new phone would be sent. No phone was received.
Last week, 9-26-2014 I spoke to Edward who said the phone was not mailed because my address was not complete. I gave my complete address. Edward said I would receive a new phone in 3 – 5 business days and gave me reference no. 78464933 for follow-up.
Today is the 5th day. I have not received new phone. I called 888-321-5880, Customer Service from my contacts list. I can not use the number selection portion to continue my call, so I have been using “O” and reached a customer service person, John. I told John why I was calling and gave him the reference no. He said the phone was not mailed because I did not recertify. I said that I recertified on 9-26-2014. John confirmed that this was true and told me to “hold on”.
I was transfered to Mark Mijaves” who identified himself as a “technical assistance” person. I explained that I did not need technical assistance, who I had already spoken with in July and August and that I had just explained to “John” that I was calling because I had not received the phone promised on 9-26-2014 by Edward, who gave me a Ref. No. 78464933. Mark said I had not recertified. I said that I had recertified on 9-26-2014. He then confirmed that this was true and ask me to hold on.
I told him not to place me on hold because the “wait” music was intolerable and asked him to just leave the line open. He said that he would “authorized a one-time coustery phone” replacement. The order would take 3 – 5 days and then the phone would be delivered by Fed Ex in 3 – 5 business days, but he needed to verify some information. I said “okay” then there were 4 clicks and my call was terminated.
When I tried to call back I received a recording that I was not allowed to place a call to that number (888-321-5880) and that I should call Assurance Wireless customer assistance at 888-321-5880, the very number I am blocked from calling.
Alice Cummings
October 2, 2014